This review is a long time coming and apologies to the author for taking essentially 5 years to get to this book. Ms. Johnson writes fantasy books that are more plot driven than romance driven. I like this about her books. Specifically, I like book where the characters are in a new world and trying to build alliances as well as creating a new settlement.

This series is taking a bit of many things I like and blending it into a well written fantasy. It takes a little bit of Star Trek Next Generation (STNG) mixed with Fae lore and a bit of pioneer life and finally a touch of indigenous people's life to create a world for settlement and developing.

This book gives us different perspectives of colonization. Those that blend with the indigenous population and try not to harm them and contrasts it with those who just want to exploit the "savages". The Fae Rii are from another world and they intermingle with the Flame Sea people for forty years. It is with surprise that they learn the Efrijt from another world have tried to settle here in the past few years. The differences between the two people are vast. Fae Rii is the hypothetical and idealist STNG where there is as little contact with the people on the planet as possible. And if there is interaction, the prime directive is to avoid introducing new concepts and technology that could bring the indigenous too quickly to an advanced civilization. Nowhere in the history of Earth have I ever learned of people or civilizations following the STNG prime directive.

The Efrijt are ones who use the indigenous tribe for their gain. In some ways, it reminds me of the blood diamond mines of South Africa. The conditions are horrible and people are sickened by the mercury mining without protective wear. I am fascinated with how Ms. Johnson plays it out and shows the different viewpoints. What I'm more intrigued by is an observation of why the Efrijts are the way they are. It makes one wonder what their homeworld is like and what has been done to them that they behave in this brutally exploitive way.

Whilst fighting for the right of ownership aka protection of this planet, there is a subplot that is a bit concerning in ways. The indigenous people in the Flame Sea tribe look to the Fae Rii as gods. They want to worship them. In some ways this also parallels how humans view angels and possibly how nephilim are viewed here on Earth.

The pace of this story is slow as the forces play a kind of chess game to determine who will win the planet. The end of this book is a hook into the next book. There is no resolution at this time and it is iffy which way the story may go. This fantasy is recommended to readers who enjoy developing countries and pioneer like themes.

Demons of the Flame Sea (Flame Seas, #2) by Jean Johnson
Intermix, 2016
Fantasy; 154 pgs
Source: Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

I was interested enough in the characters and world to continue with the series, and I was curious to see if the second book in the series would pick up. In some respects it did. It is still not a fast paced book. The Fae Rii are peace loving outlanders and will try to find peaceful solutions to every conflict. During one of his expeditions on the planet, the immortal Ban comes across a village in which another outlander group has settled, the Efrijit. Ban has a history with the Efrijit and does not trust them. They are extremely manipulative and take advantage of others weaknesses to profit. The Efrijit had not realized the Fae Rii had laid claim to the planet before them, and insist that they have every right to be there. They are using the local tribe as labor, mining for a liquid that is poisonous to all but the Efrijit. It is making the laborers sick as a result of close and prolonged exposure. The former White Sands Tribe, now known as the Flame Sea Tribe, along with the Fae Rii, enter into negotiations with the Efrijit to determine who has the right to claim the land and its resources. The Efrijits are not known to play nice, and so the others must stay on their toes.

There were some tense moments in Demons of the Flame Sea as the Fae Rii were only able to call in for limited help due to a major event occurring on their home planet. All portals to other settlements must be closed, cutting off communication with their home. It was interesting to see the politics at play between the Fae and the Efrijits.

I felt I got to know some of the individual characters better in this second novel of the series, which was good. The reader gets a closer look at Ban's relationship with the Fae Rii leader, which is a bit complicated given both their backgrounds. There is definite mutual respect between the two characters. I lost count of the number of times Ban "dies" and comes back to life in this one--although more from accidents while on his expedition than in battle.

The book dragged in spots, and I found my attention wandering, like with the first book. I wanted to like these books more than I did, but I found them lacking--of what, I am not sure exactly. More excitement and action? More character development? Perhaps a more compelling story? More something, anyway. In the end, I finished the novel knowing it would be my last in the series. I just do not care enough to go on, although I think some might find this series to their liking.

This installment felt sluggish. The plot was slow to develop, and the ending was not satisfying. I do enjoy the characters, though, and the world building, while at times painfully detailed, is fascinating. I'll read the next novella in the series, in hopes that the ending will feel more complete. Unlike the first book, I didn't feel that this was a standalone; the ending was too rushed and unfinished.

3.75 stars